The Works of God
12/19 Reading Portions: 2 Chronicles 22-23; Revelation 10; Zechariah 6; John 9
Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
12/19 Reading Portions: 2 Chronicles 22-23; Revelation 10; Zechariah 6; John 9
John 9:3
Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
GOSPEL
There was a common misunderstanding among many Jews concerning the effects of sin upon man’s condition. Even the Lord’s disciples had this misconception, asking Jesus,
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” John 9:2
The Lord Jesus rather sums up the entire book of Job by his answer to this question. Therefore, we should recognize that the misunderstanding is inherent to all humanity, and not because some silly Jewish scribes, Pharisees, and chief priests were committing doctrinal argle-bargle. Jesus, here, answers the question that has been puzzling mankind from time immemorial—
“If Almighty God created everything, including the first man, and that man sinned, is God the creator of sin?”
The question is posed in order to justify man’s rebellion against God, by blaming God, the very first thing Adam did when confronted by God:
The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Genesis 3:12
God alone is good (Mark 10:18) and there is no darkness in Him at all (1 Jn 1:5). This truth that the Lord Jesus speaks should be ingrafted into every Christian mind and heart, but it must start with you and me. The reason for the creation in the first place was for God to bless His creation, not because He was lonely. He possessed a perfectly glorious fellowship in His tri-une nature, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, before the universe was, before even angels winged the eternal ether. When God created man in perfect human form, placed him in the perfect environment, Eden’s garden, gave him the perfect companion, a woman, He did so knowing full well that apart from the sacrificial death and wonderful resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the only thing that perfect mankind was capable of doing was that he could easily be deceived, and by his own deliberate will, he would dishonor God by his disobedience to God, which would result in his own death and the death of others.
Jesus, the promised Messiah since the fall of man in the garden (Gen 3:15), and the truth of Christ’s gospel (Phil 2:5-11), is not only the greatest glorious work of God, but is also the greatest blessing to God’s entire created universe. And you and I will boast, glory, and revel in that truth for all eternity when Christ returns. Hallelujah! What a Savior!